Shakshuka

If you are looking for something different to serve your family on a Sunday brunch, Shakshouka is just the thing. Growing up this dish was a staple in my home and it is, by far, my favorite egg recipe for brunch. 

Shakshouka is a North African and Middle Eastern dish. Super simple to make: eggs, a couple of ripe tomatoes, onion, garlic, herbs and spices. The eggs are cooked soft, then dip a freshly baked piece of bread in it. 

You will find some recipes that add sausage. I prefer it simple but feel free to add it if you like. The type of spices that goes in to this dish vary from region to region, also, there is no right way to make this dish since each family has their own recipe, which is often done using what they have on hand. I'd like to share with you my family recipe, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons of olive oil

1/4 cup of onions, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

3 Ripe tomatoes, diced

4 eggs

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp paprika

salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon dry oregano

chopped parsley

In a pan, heat the olive oil, add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Then add the tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste, cumin, paprika, dry oregano. Cover, lower the heat and cook slowly for 10 minutes. Break down the tomatoes with the help of a potato masher. Crack the eggs directly over the tomato sauce, make sure to space them out evenly over the sauce.

Cover the pan and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes or depending on how soft or well done you like the eggs.

Finish it off with chopped parsley, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and black pepper.

Read more...

Cherry Clafoutis and Props

I have been working all week organizing my props. What seemed impossible, was finally done. Well, at least most of it. I still need to find a place to store all my fabrics and more ceramic. A couple of more shelves should do the trick. By the way, I was forced to take this step because my son Lucas is getting tall enough to reach into some things and I caught him already  a couple of times playing with some pots and spoons! Before he can reach the ceramic and glass, I played it safe and put everything away. 

I was surprised to see the amount of props I have collected in a few months. I might be addicted  to buying props :O 

Well, on to this week recipe, a lovely cherry clafoutis. My first cherry clafoutis of this year, When I had the first bite I said "Why? Why would I wait all summer to make this deliciousness?" Seriously! no excuse.

This dessert is traditionally made with unpitted cherries, but it makes it a little harder to eat it like that, specially when you are sharing it with your kids. It's best served warm, dusted with powder sugar.

Ingredients:

1 cup of heavy cream

1/2 cup of milk

1 vanilla pod 

3 eggs

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup flour, plus more for pan

2 tablespoons Cognac

1 lb Cherries (pitted or unpitted)

Powder sugar for dusting

butter for the pan

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Butter and flour a 9inch baking pan and set aside. Place the cream in a saucepan, add the vanilla pot (split in two and scrape out the seeds) and add them to the cream. Heat on low fire for a couple of minutes, remove from heat, add the milk and let cool. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar and flour, then add in the cream, mix well, add the cognac and the cherries and stir well. Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until light golden on top. Dust with powder sugar and serve warm.

Read more...

Orzo with Vegetables, A Great Side Dish

Summer is not over yet. I want to share with you this orzo recipe I do over and over during summer time. It makes for a great WARM side dish. You can have it cold as a salad as well but Lucas and I prefer it warm. I have been lucky so far with my son. He eats almost everything and I never have to struggle to feed him. This orzo recipe is definitely on his favorite list. 

If you have never cooked with orzo before this is a good recipe to start. It's easy and delicious and I have a little secret to enhance the flavor, paella seasoning. It doesn't have to be a specific brand, the saffron particularly adds a nice flavor to it and gives it that beautiful, rich, yellow color. Also, orzo makes a great risotto dish, I promise I will soon be posting a recipe, I have a really good one with truffle oil, yum!

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 cup of mushroom, sliced

1 small zucchini, sliced

1/2 cup of onion, finely chopped

2 garlic clove, thinly sliced

1 pint of cherry tomatoes

1 tablespoon paella seasoning

1/2 pound orzo

parsley, finely chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Cook orzo according to package directions. In a pan, heat the olive oil, add the onions and cook,  stirring occasionally for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and mushrooms, cook for another minute. Then add the tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste, cover the pan, lower the heat and cook slowly for 10 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the cooked orzo and the paella seasoning, toss well and cook in low heat for just 30 seconds more. Turn off the heat and add parsley. Serve warm.

Read more...

Spaghetti with Fresh Tomato Sauce

Simple is good. Specially true when it's super hot out there and you don't really feel like spending a whole day in the kitchen, but at the same time, your are craving something more than just a salad. That's when I turn to this recipe. 

This recipe is definitely a favorite one in my family and came on, there is nothing better than the taste of fresh tomatoes in the summer, that's when they are at their best. Trust me when I tell you, this is much better than canned tomato sauce. 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pound of ripe tomatoes

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

4 tablespoons olive oil

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

fresh basil, sliced thinly 

1 pound of spaghetti

salt and pepper to taste

6 asparagus, bottoms trimmed (optional)

Parmesan cheese

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Score a cross in the top of each tomato, plunge them into boiling water for about 20 seconds and then peel the skin away, it should come out easy, cut them in half.

In a pan, heat the olive oil, add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Then add the tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste, lower the heat and cook slowly for 15 minutes. Break down the tomatoes with the help of a potato masher. If you are adding asparagus, add them at the last 5 minutes of cooking the sauce. Add the Parmesan cheese, basil and toss well.  

Read more...